序品第一

Chapter One: Introduction

如是我聞：

Thus have I heard:

一時，佛住王舍城耆闍崛山中，與大比丘眾萬二千人俱，皆是阿羅漢，諸漏已盡，無復煩惱，逮得己利，盡諸有結，心得自在。其名曰：阿若憍陳如、摩訶迦葉、優樓頻螺迦葉、伽耶迦葉、那提迦葉舍利弗、大目揵連、摩訶迦旃延、阿[少/兔]樓馱、劫賓那、憍梵波提、離婆多、畢陵伽婆蹉、薄拘羅、摩訶拘絺羅、難陀、孫陀羅難陀、富樓那彌多羅尼子、須菩提、阿難、羅睺羅。如是眾所知識大阿羅漢等。復有學、無學二千人。摩訶波闍波提比丘尼，與眷屬六千人俱。羅睺羅母耶輸陀羅比丘尼，亦與眷屬俱。菩薩摩訶薩八萬人，皆於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提不退轉；皆得陀羅尼；樂說辯才，轉不退轉法輪；供養無量百千諸佛，於諸佛所殖眾德本，常為諸佛之所稱歎；以慈修身，善入佛慧；通達大智，到於彼岸；名稱普聞無量世界，能度無數百千眾生。其名曰：文殊師利菩薩、觀世音菩薩、得大勢菩薩、常精進菩薩、不休息菩薩、寶掌菩薩、藥王菩薩、勇施菩薩、寶月菩薩、月光菩薩、滿月菩薩、大力菩薩、無量力菩薩、越三界菩薩、跋陀婆羅菩薩、彌勒菩薩、寶積菩薩、導師菩薩，如是等菩薩摩訶薩八萬人俱。

Once the Buddha was staying in the city of Rājagṛha, on Mt. Gṛdhrakūṭa (’Vulture’s Peak’), together with a great assembly of twelve thousand bhikṣus, all of whom were arhats whose outflows had ceased, who were free from the confusion of desire, who had achieved their own goals, shattered the bonds of existence, and attained complete mental sovereignty. Their names were Ājñātakauṇḍinya, Mahākāśyapa, Uruvilvakāśyapa, Gayākāśyapa, Nadīkāśyapa, Śāriputra, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Mahākātyāyana, Aniruddha, Kapphiṇa, Gavāṃpati, Revata, Pilindavatsa, Bakkula, Mahākauṣṭhila, Nanda, Sundarananda, Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra, Subhūti, Ānanda, and Rāhula. All of them were great arhats, known to the assembly. There were in addition two thousand others, both those who had more to learn and those who did not. The bhikṣuṇī Mahāprajāpatī was there, together with her six thousand attendants; and also the bhikṣuṇī Yaśodharā, Rāhula’s mother, together with her attendants. There were also eighty thousand bodhisattva mahāsattvas, all of whom were irreversible from anuttarā samyak-saṃbodhi. They had obtained dhāraṇīs, were established in eloquence, and had turned the irreversible wheel of the Dharma. Each had paid homage to countless hundreds of thousands of buddhas, planted roots of merit in their presence, and had always been praised by those buddhas. They had also cultivated compassion within themselves, skillfully caused others to enter the wisdom of the buddhas, obtained great wisdom, and reached the other shore. All of them were famous throughout countless worlds and had saved innumerable hundreds of thousands of sentient beings. Their names were Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva, Nityodyukta Bodhisattva, Anikṣiptadhura Bodhisattva, Ratnapāni Bodhisattva, Bhaiṣajyarāja Bodhisattva, Pradānaśūra Bodhisattva, Ratnacandra Bodhisattva, Candraprabha Bodhisattva, Pūrṇacandra Bodhisattva, Mahāvikramin Bodhisattva, Anantavikramin Bodhisattva, Trailokyavikrama Bodhisattva, Bhadrapāla Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva, Ratnākara Bodhisattva, and Susāthavāha Bodhisattva. There were altogether eighty thousand such bodhisattva-mahāsattvas.

爾時釋提桓因，與其眷屬二萬天子俱。復有名月天子、普香天子、寶光天子、四大天王，與其眷屬萬天子俱。自在天子、大自在天子，與其眷屬三萬天子俱。娑婆世界主梵天王——尸棄大梵、光明大梵等，與其眷屬萬二千天子俱。有八龍王——難陀龍王、跋難陀龍王、娑伽羅龍王、和脩吉龍王、德叉迦龍王、阿那婆達多龍王、摩那斯龍王、優鉢羅龍王等，各與若干百千眷屬俱。有四緊那羅王——法緊那羅王、妙法緊那羅王、大法緊那羅王、持法緊那羅王，各與若干百千眷屬俱。有四乾闥婆王——樂乾闥婆王、樂音乾闥婆王、美乾闥婆王、美音乾闥婆王，各與若干百千眷屬俱。有四阿修羅王——婆稚阿修羅王、佉羅騫馱阿修羅王、毘摩質多羅阿修羅王、羅睺阿修羅王，各與若干百千眷屬俱。有四迦樓羅王——大威德迦樓羅王、大身迦樓羅王、大滿迦樓羅王、如意迦樓羅王，各與若干百千眷屬俱。韋提希子阿闍世王，與若干百千眷屬俱。各禮佛足，退坐一面。

At that time Śakra Indra was also there, attended by twenty thousand devas. The devas called Candra, Samantagandha, and Ratnaprabha were there, and the Four Great Heavenly Kings were there together with a retinue of ten thousand devas. Īśvara deva and Maheśvara deva were there, attended by thirty thousand devas. Brahma, the lord of the Sahā world, as well as the great Brahma Śikhin and the great Brahma Jyotiṣprabha were there, together with a retinue of twelve thousand devas. The eight nāga kings—namely, Nanda, Upananda, Sāgara, Vāsukin, Takṣaka, Anavatapta, Manasvin, and Utpalaka—were also there, each of them surrounded by several hundreds of thousands of attendants. There were four kiṃnaras king whose names were Dharma, Sudharma, Mahādharma, and Dharmadhara, and each had several hundreds of thousands of attendants. Four gandharva kings were there. They were Manojña, Manojñasvara, Madhura, and Madhurasvara, each of them also with several hundreds of thousands of attendants. There, too, were four asura kings called Baḍin, Kharaskandha, Vemacitra, and Rahu, each with several hundreds of thousands of attendants. Mahātejas, Mahākāya, Mahāpūrṇa, and Maharddhiprāpta, the four garuḍas kings were there together with several hundreds of thousands of attendants. Finally, King Ajātaśatru, Vaidehī’s son, was also there with several hundreds of thousands of his attendants. Each of them, after having bowed at the Buddha’s feet, withdrew and sat to one side.

爾時世尊，四眾圍遶，供養、恭敬、尊重、讚歎。為諸菩薩說大乘經，名無量義，教菩薩法，佛所護念。佛說此經已，結加趺坐，入於無量義處三昧，身心不動。是時天雨曼陀羅華、摩訶曼陀羅華、曼殊沙華、摩訶曼殊沙華，而散佛上、及諸大眾。普佛世界，六種震動。爾時會中，比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷、天龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人，及諸小王、轉輪聖王，是諸大眾，得未曾有，歡喜合掌，一心觀佛。

At that time the World-Honored One was respectfully surrounded by the fourfold assembly who paid homage, honored, and praised him. He then taught the bodhisattvas a Mahayana sutra called ‘Immeasurable Meanings’ (Mahānirdeśa), with instructions for the bodhisattvas and the treasured lore of the buddhas. After having taught this sutra, the Buddha sat cross-legged, entered a samādhi called the “abode of immeasurable meanings” (ananta-nirdeśa-pratiṣṭhāna) and remained unmoving in both body and mind. Māndārava and great māndārava flowers, mañjūṣaka and great mañjūṣaka flowers then fell like rain from the sky, scattering upon the Buddha and all of his attendants; and the whole buddha world quaked in six ways. At that time, the whole assembly of humans and nonhumans, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, kings, and noble emperors, having experienced something unprecedented, were filled with joy, and with their palms pressed together they gazed single-mindedly at the Buddha.

爾時佛放眉間白毫相光，照東方萬八千世界，靡不周遍，下至阿鼻地獄，上至阿迦尼吒天。於此世界，盡見彼土六趣眾生，又見彼土現在諸佛，及聞諸佛所說經法。并見彼諸比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，諸修行得道者。復見諸菩薩摩訶薩，種種因緣、種種信解、種種相貌，行菩薩道。復見諸佛般涅槃者。復見諸佛般涅槃後，以佛舍利起七寶塔。

Then the Buddha emitted a ray of light from the tuft of white hair between his eyebrows. It completely illuminated eighteen thousand worlds in the east, down as far as the lowest hell, Avīci, and up as high as the Akaniṣṭha heaven. All the sentient beings in those worlds living in the six paths of rebirth became visible from this world. The buddhas in those worlds were also seen, and the Dharma they were teaching could be heard. The bhikṣu, bhikṣuṇī, upāsaka, and upāsikā and those who had practiced and achieved the path were also to be seen, while the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, of various background causes and conditions, endowed in various degrees with the willingness to understand and having various appearances, were also seen practicing the bodhisattva path. All of the buddhas who had achieved parinirvāṇa were seen, as well as their śarīra relic stupas made of the seven precious treasures.

爾時彌勒菩薩作是念：「今者世尊現神變相，以何因緣而有此瑞？今佛世尊入于三昧，是不可思議、現希有事。當以問誰？誰能答者？」復作此念：「是文殊師利，法王之子，已曾親近供養過去無量諸佛，必應見此希有之相。我今當問。」

At that moment it occurred to Maitreya Bodhisattva, ‘The World-Honored One has now manifested a sign of great transcendent power. What could be the reason for this marvel? The Buddha, World-Honored One, has now entered samādhi. Whom should I ask about this wonderful marvel? Who would be able to answer my question?’ Then he thought further, ‘This Mañjuśrī, Prince of the Dharma, has closely attended and paid homage to innumerable buddhas of the past. He must certainly have seen such a marvelous sign before. I should now ask him.’

爾時比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，及諸天、龍、鬼神等，咸作此念：「是佛光明神通之相，今當問誰？」

At the same time it occurred to the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, and others, ‘Now whom should we ask about this illumination and marvelous sign of the buddha?’

爾時彌勒菩薩，欲自決疑，又觀四眾比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，及諸天，龍、鬼神等眾會之心，而問文殊師利言：「以何因緣而有此瑞神通之相，放大光明，照于東方萬八千土，悉見彼佛國界莊嚴？」於是彌勒菩薩欲重宣此義，以偈問曰：

Then Maitreya Bodhisattva, wanting to clear up his own confusion, and knowing the minds of the fourfold assembly of bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās, and of the nāgas, yakṣas, and other beings in that gathering, asked Mañjuśrī, “What is the reason for this marvelous sign, this great ray of light that illuminates eighteen thousand worlds in the east and renders visible the adornments of all the buddha worlds?” Thereupon Bodhisattva Maitreya, wanting to elaborate the meaning of this further, spoke to Mañjuśrī in verse:

文殊師利！　　 導師何故，　　 眉間白毫，　 大光普照。　

Mañjuśrī! Why has The Guide, From the tuft of white hair between the eyebrows, Emitted this great ray of light far and wide?

雨曼陀羅、　　 曼殊沙華，　 栴檀香風，　　 悅可眾心？

It rains māndāravas And mañjūṣaka flowers, Fragrant winds of sandalwood Gladden people’s minds.　　

以是因緣，　 地皆嚴淨，　　 而此世界，　　 六種震動。　

In this way, The ground is completely adorned, And this world Quakes in six ways.

時四部眾，　　 咸皆歡喜，　　 身意快然，　 得未曾有。　　

Then the fourfold assembly Is completely enraptured, Delighted in body and mind at the experience of Such unprecedented events.

眉間光明，　　 照于東方，　 萬八千土，　　 皆如金色，　　 從阿鼻獄，　 上至有頂。　　

A ray of light from between the eyebrows Illuminates the eastern direction, Eighteen thousand worlds, Shimmering like gold, From the depths of the Avīci Hell Up to the summit of existence.

諸世界中，　　 六道眾生，　 生死所趣，　　 善惡業緣，　　 受報好醜，　 於此悉見。　　

And, throughout all these worlds, Sentient beings of the six paths, Destined to birth and death, Good and bad karmic causes, Great and terrible results, From this, all is seen.

又覩諸佛、　　 聖主師子、　 演說經典，　　 微妙第一。　

Also witnessed are all the buddhas, The Sage Lord Lions (Narendrasiṃhā), Broadly expounding the sutras Most subtle and supreme.

其聲清淨，　 出柔軟音，　　 教諸菩薩，　　 無數億萬，　 梵音深妙，　　 令人樂聞。　　

With their pure voices, They utter soft sounds, Teaching bodhisattvas, Immeasurable myriads of koṭis, Their Brahma voices, deep and subtle, Causing delight in those that hear.

各於世界，　 講說正法，　　 種種因緣。　　

In each world They teach the True Dharma; By means of various explanations.

以無量喻，　 照明佛法，　　 開悟眾生。　　

By innumerable similes, They illuminate the Buddha-Dharma And enlighten sentient beings.

若人遭苦，　 厭老病死，　　 為說涅槃，　　 盡諸苦際。　

To those who suffer, Cast down by old age, illness, and death, They teach nirvāṇa, The cessation of all suffering.

若人有福，　　 曾供養佛，　　 志求勝法，　 為說緣覺。　　

To those who have merit, Have paid homage to the buddhas, And seek superior Dharma, They explain the awakening of the pratyekabuddha.

若有佛子、　　 修種種行，　 求無上慧，　　 為說淨道。　　

To those Buddhaputra (‘Children of the Buddha’) Who have practiced in various ways And seek usurpassable wisdom, They explain the Path of Purity.

文殊師利！　 我住於此，　　 見聞若斯，　　 及千億事，　 如是眾多，　　 今當略說。　　

Mañjuśrī! Abiding here, I see and hear Thousands of koṭis of things in this way, Many such things, I shall now explain them in brief.

我見彼土，　 恒沙菩薩，　　 種種因緣，　　 而求佛道。

In these worlds I see bodhisattvas, Equal in number to the sands of the Ganges River, According to their various situations, They seeking the Way of the Buddha

或有行施，　　 金銀珊瑚、　　 真珠摩尼、　 車璩馬腦、　　 金剛諸珍，　　 奴婢車乘、　 寶飾輦輿，　　 歡喜布施。　

Some undertake the practice of giving; Gold, silver, and coral, Real pearls and maṇi jewels, Carts of jade and agate, And the most precious vajra, Servants and vehicles And ornamented litters— They give it all joyfully.

迴向佛道，　 願得是乘，　　 三界第一，　　 諸佛所歎。　

Transferring the merit to the Way of the Buddha, Wishing to obtain the vehicle That is foremost of the three worlds, And praised by all the buddhas.

或有菩薩，　　 駟馬寶車、　　 欄楯華蓋、　 軒飾布施。　

Or there are bodhisattvas, With ornamented carts yoked with four horses Furnished with railings, canopies And decorated eaves, which they give.

復見菩薩，　　 身肉手足，　 及妻子施，　　 求無上道。

Moreover, I see bodhisattvas Giving their bodies, flesh, hands, and feet. As well as their spouses and children In search of the supreme path,

又見菩薩，　 頭目身體，　　 欣樂施與，　 求佛智慧。　

I also see bodhisattvas Giving their heads, eyes, and bodies, Joyfully sharing with others, In search of the wisdom of the buddhas.

文殊師利！　　 我見諸王，　　 往詣佛所，　 問無上道，　　 便捨樂土、　　 宮殿臣妾，　 剃除鬚髮，　　 而被法服。　

Mañjuśrī! I see kings Making pilgrimages to the buddhas, Asking about the supreme path, Abandoning their prosperous lands, Palaces, subjects, and harems, Shaving their heads and beards, And wearing the robes of the Dharma.

或見菩薩，　 而作比丘，　　 獨處閑靜，　　 樂誦經典。

I see some bodhisattvas Who are monastics, Dwelling apart in tranquility, Reciting the sutras with contentment.

又見菩薩，　　 勇猛精進，　　 入於深山，　 思惟佛道。　

I also see bodhisattvas Persistent and courageous, Going into remote mountains And contemplating the Way of the Buddha.

又見離欲，　　 常處空閑，　 深修禪定，　　 得五神通。

I see some abandoning worldly desires, Dwelling always in lonely places, Practicing profound dhyāna meditations And obtaining the five transcendent powers.

又見菩薩，　 安禪合掌，　　 以千萬偈、　　 讚諸法王。

I see bodhisattvas Meditating with palms pressed together, Praising the Kings of the Dharma With thousands of myriads of verses.

復見菩薩，　　 智深志固，　　 能問諸佛，　 聞悉受持。　　

Moreover, I see bodhisattvas With deep, steadfast knowledge, Capable of inquiring of all buddhas, And retaining all they have heard.

又見佛子，　　 定慧具足，　 以無量喻，　　 為眾講法。　

I also see Children of Buddhas, With complete, definitive wisdom, Using immeasurable comparisons (similes, metaphors, etc) To inform others about the Dharma. 　

欣樂說法，　 化諸菩薩，　　 破魔兵眾，　　 而擊法鼓。

By joyously teaching the Dharma, They transform bodhisattvas Destroying the hordes of Māra And beating the Dharma drum.

又見菩薩，　　 寂然宴默，　　 天龍恭敬，　 不以為喜。

I also see bodhisattvas Who are tranquil and silent, at ease, Worshipped by devas and nāgas; They are never exulted.

又見菩薩，　　 處林放光，　 濟地獄苦，　　 令入佛道。　

I see bodhisattvas Dwelling in forests, radiating light, Alleviating the suffering of beings in the hells And causing them to enter the Way of the Buddha.

又見佛子，　 未甞睡眠，　　 經行林中，　　 懃求佛道。

I also see Children of the Buddha Who have never fallen asleep, Constantly wandering in forests Eagerly searching for the Way of the Buddha.

又見具戒，　　 威儀無缺，　　 淨如寶珠，　 以求佛道。

I see some who are pure like jewels, Endowed with integrity And faultless in behavior, In search of the Way of the Buddha.

又見佛子，　　 住忍辱力，　 增上慢人，　　 惡罵捶打，　　 皆悉能忍，　 以求佛道。　　

I also see children of the Buddha Abiding in the power of patient tolerance, Who patiently endure Those of excessive pride And those who abuse them verbally and physically, Searching for the Way of the Buddha.

又見菩薩，　　 離諸戲笑，　 及癡眷屬，　　 親近智者，　　 一心除亂，　 攝念山林，　　 億千萬歲，　　 以求佛道。　

I also see bodhisattvas Who have renounced idlers And foolish companions, And who have approached the wise, Having single-mindedly rid themselves of inner confusion Gathering their minds in mountain forests For thousands of myriads of koṭis of years, In search of the Way of the Buddha.

或見菩薩，　　 餚饍飲食、　　 百種湯藥，　 施佛及僧。　　

I also see bodhisattvas, With food and drink, And a hundred of kinds of medicine Giving to the Buddha and the sangha.

名衣上服，　　 價直千萬，　 或無價衣，　　 施佛及僧。　

Name brand clothes and the finest garments Worth thousands of myriads, And priceless robes Given to the Buddha and the sangha.

千萬億種，　 栴檀寶舍、　　 眾妙臥具，　　 施佛及僧。　

Thousands of myriads of koṭis Of treasured monasteries made of sandalwood, And various kinds of excellent bedding, Given to the Buddha and the sangha.

清淨園林，　　 華菓茂盛，　　 流泉浴池，　 施佛及僧。

Pristine garden groves Full of flowers and fruits, Fountains and bathing pools, Given to the Buddha and the sangha

如是等施，　　 種種微妙，　 歡喜無厭，　　 求無上道。　

Thus they give, Various kinds of subtle, wonderful things Joyfully, never sated, In search of the unexcelled path

或有菩薩，　 說寂滅法，　　 種種教詔，　　 無數眾生。　

And there are bodhisattvas Teaching the Dharma of tranquil cessation In various ways To innumerable sentient beings.

或見菩薩，　　 觀諸法性，　　 無有二相，　 猶如虛空。　

And I see bodhisattvas Observing that the nature of all Dharmas Is without the characteristic of duality, Just like empty space.